Farewell and thanks to Rep. Olver

Friday

Jan 4, 2013 at 6:00 AM

As we bid farewell to U.S. Rep. John Olver, I offer my sincere gratitude and congratulations to my colleague and friend. It is difficult to capture the enormous impact John has had on the communities he served over his 43-year career.

As former mayor of Westfield, I often say that the most important decisions are made at the local level. Without strong partners like Mr. Olver, cities and towns miss out on opportunities for growth and advancement. He has always been there to lend a helping hand, answer a call and support our city.

Now, working at the state level as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, I have had the pleasure of working closely with John once again. His efforts have enabled the Patrick-Murray administration to leverage millions of federal dollars to conserve over 100,000 acres of land in the commonwealth, a contribution that will benefit Massachusetts for generations to come.

Johnís dedication to the commonwealth will be remembered and deeply missed by his colleagues and constituents. I look forward to working with U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern to build on his good work in the years to come, and wish John all the best.